Lowering device for caskets.



C. WELLMAN. LOWERING DEVICE FOR GASKETS APPLICATION FILED JAN. 16. 1014.

Patented NOV. 17, 1914.

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WITNESSES IHE NORRIS PETERS co.. PHDI'O-LITHQ. WASHING TON, '1' r:

UNITED %TATE@ @FFTQE- CALVIN W. WELLIMAN, OF OSHKOSII, WISCONSIN.

LOWEBING DEVICE FOR GASKETS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. January 16, 1914. Serial No. 812,423.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that l, CALVIN NV. VVELLMAN, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of Oshkosh, in the countyof \Vinnebago and Stateof Wisconsin, have invented a certain new anduseful Lowering Device for Caskets; and I do hereby declare thefollowing tob e a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part ofthis specification.

My invention relates to burial apparatus. It particularly relates toapparatus for lowering caskets. In the construction embodying myinvention, a means is provided for automatically regulating the rate oflowering movement irrespective of the weight of the load that is to belowered.

I have provided a lowering device whereby caskets may be evenly andgently lowered, may easily and readily be modified in size to conform tothe ditl'erent sizes of caskets, which may be easily folded into a.compact form and arrangement whereby it may be conveniently carried andwhich may also be easily unfolded and set for any requisite size. 1

The invention is applicable to a great variety of lowering devices andconsequently constructions containing the invention may partake of agreat variety of forms all of which come within the purview of my claimshereinafter appended. T show the practicability of constructionsembodying my invention and the manner in which they may be operated, Ihave selected one of such constructions as an example and shall describeit hereinafter.

The construction selected is illustrated in the accompanying drawings,wherein- Figure 1 illustrates a casket lowering device. Fig. 2illustrates a transverse sectional view of one end of the casketlowering device. Fig. 3 illustrates a longitudinal section of thedevice. Fig. t illustrates a side view of one of the ends of the barswhich support the load. Fi 5 is a sectional view of the end telescopingparts. Fig. 6 is a sectional view of a modified automatic means forregulating the rate of downward movement of the load.

Referring to Fig.1 of the drawings, 1 are telescoping tubes forming thesides of the frames of the lowering device. The parts of the tubesengage with each other by a suitable means which prevent rotation ofpart of the tubes 'lhey are rotatably supported in housmgs 2 located attheir ends. The housings 2 also form standards for supporting thelowering device. The tubes 1 are connected together by means of loweringstraps 8. The ends of the lowering straps are secured to and wound uponthe tubes 1. The ends of the tubes 1 are supported in the sleeves 10located in the housings 2. The ends of the tubes 1 fit ovcr thimbles 12.The thimbles 12 are provided with pins 13 which set into notches 1 1:located in the ends of the tubes 1.. The thimbles 12 are also providedwith spring pressed pins 15 which pass through thimbles and enteropenings 16 located in the tubes 1. The pins 13 and 15 releasably lockthe tubes 1 to the thimbles 12. The tubes 1 may be released from thethimbles 12 by merely pressing upon the pins 15 and forcing them throughthe openings 16. The tubes around the openings 16 are provided withdepressions 17 which enable the depression of the pins 15 to a pointsuch that the edges 01 the openings 16 may engage with the rounded topsof the pins 15 when the tubes 1. are pulled away from the thimbles 12.This will further depress the pins 15 and allow separation of the tubes1 from the thimbles 12. vided with slots 20 located in the bases or endsof the thimbles. Blocks 21 are pivoted by means of the crosspins 22 inthe end portions of the thimbles 12. They pass through the slots alsopivoted to the sleeves 10 by means of the pins located in the ends ofthe blocks. The axes of the blocks 21 with respect to the hubs are atright angles to the axes of the thimbles 12. Universal are thus formedbetween the tubes 1 and the sleeves 10 as well as between the tubes 1and the supporting housings 2. The sleeves 10 are secured in thehousings 2 by means of inwardly extending flanges and 31 forming partsof the housings and the cap plates 32. The flanges 30 and 31 form alsoan outside bearing for the sleeves 10. The ends of the flanges 30 and 31are located on the opposite sides of flanges 33 which are locatedcentrally on the sleeves 10. The plates 32 are secured to the housings 2by means of Patented Nov. 17, 1914. 1

with respect to other parts.

The thimbles 12 are pro- 20. The blocks 21 are joint connections 3 tubes1 irrespective to the spring 50 may be located in a the screws 34located in the flanges of the caps and the rims of the housings. Thesleeves 10, being secured to the tubes 1, when the frame has beenconnected together preparatory to the lowering of a casket, rotate withthe tubes while the casket is being lowered.

A means is connected to the tubes 1 for automatically regulating therate of movement of the casket while it is being lowered by theapparatus. The sleeves 10 at one end of the frame may be connected to awheel 11 through the flanges 33 in which case the sleeves 10 will formthe hubs of the wheels and the flanges 33 will form connecting Websbetween the hubs. and the rims of the wheels. The peripherals of thewheels 11 may be provided with worm gears which are adapted to operateon the worms 41 supported in sleeves 42 forming a part of the housings2. The thread of the worms 41 and the teeth of the worm gears 11 have adegree pitch so that when there is weight enough upon the straps, thewheels 11 will rotate, but inasmuch as the relative degree of angularmovement between the wheels 11 and the worms 41 is so great, the worms41 will allow the wheels to rotate substantially at the same rateirrespective to the load carried by the strapsf3 and the loads placed onthe straps will descend substantially at the same rate. The worms 41 arefurther controlled automatically to bring to substantial perfection thecontrol of the rotation of the carry. The worms 41 are connected bytheir shafts 43 to frictionv brakes 53. Friction plates44 are providedwith leather washers or disks 45 which are located about the shafts 4-3and are fitted snugly into the flanges or rims 46 located on the facesof the plates 44. The shafts 43and worms 41 rotate in bearing sleeves 48which are fixedly secured in the housing sleeves 42. The sleeves 46 areprovided with plates 47 which coact with the plates 44 and disks 46 toform a brake on the movements of the. shafts 43. The leather disks 45are located intermediate between the plates 44 and 47. If desired, a

one. of the plates The spring50 presses on the center of the leatherdisk 46. This produces a slight frictional engagement between the disk46 and the plate 47. WVhen the wheels 11 are rotated toward each otherby the weight of the load, they cause the rotation, of the worms 41. andalso they push theshafts43 toward each other whichcauses more or lessfrictional engagement between the brake plates 47 The: contact between.the plate 47 and the disk 46 at. onecorner of the frame Will at first becentral which will cause tlon'al engagement with the central part. of.the brake plate: 47 when there is a. light, load weight that thev socket51 in and the leather disks 46..

a light fric-- on the straps 3; on the other hand, if there is a heavyload on the straps 3 the wheels 11 will force the shafts 43 toward eachother with a greater pressure and cause a larger central portion of thedisk 46 to be brought to bear upon the plate 47 and cause the plate 44to press with greater pressure upon the disk 46 which will be forcedwith greater pressure against the brake plate 47. This will thusregulate the rate of rotation of the worm 48 and the rate of rotation ofthe wheel 11 and the descent of the load.

The plates 44 are secured to the shafts 43 by means of pins 52. Theouter ends of the hubs of the plates 44 have substantially innerhyperboloidal shape which gular movement of the shafts 43 with respectto the plates 44, and prevent any binding between the plates 44 and theshafts 43 and produce a full contact on the disks.

In order that the lowering of the casket may be manually controlled, amanual means may he provided for releasing the brake and allowing thecasket to descend at a greater rate than that which is permitted c bythe operation of the brakes. The ends of the shaft 43 are enlarged andprovided with end ball bearings 61. Sleeves 62 are located in thehousing sleeves42 and are adapted to move endwise to press against theball bean ings 61 which will in turn press against the enlarged ends 60of the shafts 43. Levers 63 are fulcrumed on the top ofthe sleeve ortelescoping parts 64 which fit over the housing sleeve 42. The levers 63have forked ends 65 which are adapted to press against the sleeves 62which cause endwise movement of the shafts 48 and relieve the pres sureof the leather disks 46 on the plates 47 so that the shafts 43 mayrotate more free] than is permitted by the operation of the brakes. 53.The brakes are thus controlled by the operation of the levers 63.

The housings are connected together at their ends by means oftelescoping tubes and '71-. The width of the frame may be varied bymerely pulling the telescoping tubes apart or pushing them together.Suitable means may be provided for securing'the parts of the telescopingtubes in adjusted positions. T have provided pins 72 which are locatedin sockets 73. They are connected to knobs The pins are spring actuatedby means the compression springs 75. The vpins 72 pass through openingslocated in the central part 76 and 77 of the tele scoping tubes 70 and71. A plurality of openings 78 are formed in the sleeves or tubes 64 inwhich the pins 72 may be inserted. may be. pushed to any 'pointso thatthe openings in. the parts 76v and 77 register with the openings formedin the parts 64. through which the pins 72 maybe inserted. Theends.

of the pins72 are roundedwhichwillperpermit slight an- The parts of thetubes 70 and 71 1 together. The enh mit longitudinal movements of theparts 6% with respect to the parts 76 and 77 and when the openingsregister the pin will lock the parts together. The housings "2. may thusbe placed at any desired distance apart and may be secured in theirrelative position by the pins 72.

The tubes '1 are also rotatively connected ,rged ends (30 of the shafts413 are provided with sockets 80. Tubes 81 are knuckled in the socketsS0 and are con nected to the enlarged portion 60 of the shafts 43 bymeans of the pins82. The inner walls of the sockelts 80 are alsohyperboloidal in shapcto permit slight angular movements of the tubes 81with respect to the shafts It The tubes 81 are provided with squareopenings in which rods 8 having square cross sections slid-ably move.The diagonals through the cross sections of the rods are about the sameas the diameter of the tubes, whichprcvent, to a great extent, angularmovements of the rods with respect to the tubes. The rods 8% are connected togetl'ier by means of the rotatable block 85 journaled in asleeve 86 which are secured to the parts 7(5 of the telescoping tube 70.Longitudinal movements of the block 85 are prevented by washers and pins89. The rods 84: are swiveled in sockets 88 located in the end of thecylindrical block 85 by means o1 pins 89. The rods Stare provided withenlarged. heads 90 which per mit slight angular movements of the sleevesS5. The tubes 1 are thus connected together so that the rotation of onewill also produce a rotation of the other. This will permit themaintenance of the casket in horizontal position while it is beinlowered.

A. means is provided tor locking the parts and preventing rotation untilcontrol is given to the apparatus. A thumb screw 87 extends through thesleeve 86 and presses against a shoe 94: which frictionally engages theblock 85.

The construction shown in Fig. 2 may be greatly varied. In Fig. 6 isshown one of the many modifications to which the construction shown inFig. 2 is subject. The wheels 11 may be rotatably connected togetherthrough the tubes 81 and the rods 8% as in the form shown in Fig. Intheform shown in Fig. 6 the tubes 81 are connected to the shaft 95 in thesame manner that the tubesSl are connected to the shafts 4L3 in the formshown in Fig. 2. Each shaft 95 is 'journaled in the bearing sleeve 96which is secured to the tube 4 forming a part of the telescoping tube70. The sleeve 96 is secured in the housing 97 which forms one of thesupports for the mechanism. The sleeve 95 is connected to a beveled gear98. T he wheel 11 is provided with a bevel gear 99 which meshes with thebevel gear 98. The rim of the wheel 11 is provided with the worm gearil-.0. This operates on the worm 41 which forms part of the shaft 41:3.

lllach shaft 4.1;; is provided at one end with a. brake 33 and at itsother end with a. manual means for releasing the shalt from action ofthe brake 53. The lever 100 is pivoted to the tube or cap .101 which maybe inserted over the housing sleeve ii). The lever lUU operates upon thebell crank lever 102, which. is also 'lulcruined on the cap 10 l. Thelower end of the lever 102 is provided with a bearing point 103, whichpresses against the cylindrical block 10+. The block .Hllpresses againstthe enlarged end 10?) of the sha'l't i3. .t ball bearing 106 may beintcr 'iosel between the block 104: and the end 105 of the shaft 11-3.\Vhen the free end oi. the lever .100 is pressed it will operate uponthe lever 102 to force the block 104 and the shaft 43 against thecndwise pressure oi the shaft -13 produced by the operation of the wormgear 4 0 and release the brake which will permit a more rapid r0- tationof the shaft -ld and the tubes 1 which support the load.

The construction selected and described may be greatly varied in thearrangements and connections 01 its parts and in the substitution ofelements having equivalent functions without departing from the spiritof the invention which is described in the claims in the language of theelements shown.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is,-

1. In a lowering device, a rotative part located on each side of theload, worm gears connected to the part, and a brake connected to theworm gears automatically operated by the weight of the load.

2. In a lowering device, a telescoping tube located on each side of theload and support ing the load, and worm gears connected to the saidtubes, the worm gears rotatively connected together, and a brakeoperated by the weight of the load for controlling the rate of movementof the gears.

In a lowering device, a telescoping tube located on each side of theload, worm gear wheels secured to the telescoping tubes, worms operatedby the worm wheels, brakes connected to the worms for automaticallycontrolling the worms by the peripheral pressure of the wheels 01 theworms.

4. In a lowering device, a means located on each side of the load forsupporting the load, a rotatable friction plate controlled by themovement of the said load, an automatic means for varying the area offrictional engagement of the said friction plate accord ing to theweight of the load.

5. In a lowering device, a means located on each side of the load forsupporting the load, friction plates controlled by the move ment of theload, a coacting fixed friction plate, a leather disk interposed betweenthe said plates and a means for varying the area of frictionalengagement between the disk and the friction plate connected to theload.

6. In a lowering device, means located on each side of the load forsupporting the load and a. rotatable friction plate controlled by themovement of the load, a fixed coacting friction plate, a leather diskinterposed between the said plates and secured at its periphery to thefixed plate, and a means for pressing the central portion of the disk toWard the rotatable plate.

7. In a lowering device, a telescoping tube located on each side of theload for supporting the load, Worm Wheels connected to the tubes,wor1nsoperated upon by the Worm Wheels, brakes connected to the Worms andoperated by the peripheral pressure of the WOI'H]. Wheels on the Worms,and telescoping parts for rotatively connecting the Worms together.

8. In a lowering device, a telescoping tube located on each side of theload for supporting the load, Worm Wheels connected to the tubes, Wormsoperated upon by the Worm Worm Wheels on the Worms, telescoping:

parts for rotatively connecting the Worms together, means for adjustablysecuring the parts of the tubes with respect to each other, and amanualineans for releasiiw the said brakes.

In testimony whereof, signed my name to this specificationin thepresence of two subscribing Witnesses.

CALVIN lV. WELLMAN. Witnesses MARION RAsMUssEN, CHAS. OELLERIOH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. E.

I have hereunto

